It really was a neat class. I love having new teachers because you do not know their rhythm and you cannot "check out" nor can you go on "auto pilot". So it was really good for me, tough, but good. I was hot, sweaty, exhausted, red faced, panting and relieved when it was over but I felt like a million bucks!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Day 75: A fabulous guest teacher
Today was 530 with a guest teacher. Ren Soriano. He is a senior teacher at Bikram headquarters in Los Angeles. He is also a judge for the yoga competition every year. I have never met him so it was a treat to take his class. He is a small guy, very cheerful, and well....flamboyant! He has a great energy and was very engaged with us all througout the class. The room was smokin' hot and the toughness of the class kicked in right away, during pranayama breathing. Ren does so much talking and coaching interspersed with his dialog that it feels like you are inhaling and exhaling FOREVER. And you are, at least alot longer than 6 counts. My lungs were burning and it was all I could do not to choke down some air in advance of him saying "inhale!". Lets put it this way, he was so busy talking, joking and correcting that we finished eagle 30 mins into class! He was very funny and had a few students that he pinpointed, 3 males, and pretty much was on them the whole class. He was telling Hector "you are so flexible, that's good for a man!" "But you need to work on your strength!" Then he asked David "how long have you practiced?" (5 months was the answer) and proceeded to correct and push poor David on every other posture it seemed like. Then there was Sadartha. Oh did he ever pick on Sadartha. Really, I felt bad for the guy because Ren was pushing, prodding, correcting, encouraging. None of these things are bad by any stretch of the imagination, it's just that it was sooooo hot and when you get that special instructor attention you do what they tell you and you exert so much more than if left to your own devices. So I just kept thinking to myself "Oh Sadartha, you poor thing, you must be frickin' exhausted!!". He even kept the guy in fixed firm, made us all come up and applaud Sadartha for getting all the way into the posture. It was all very cute, amusing and fun. I'm just really glad he did not single me out! :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's funny, but I bet you if he did pick on you, you would be glad of that too. (And if he's as good a teacher as you say, there's probably a reason he picked on the three he did, and not on you.)
ReplyDeletewe had a guest teacher a few weeks ago - a lifelong yogi from India - and he was amazing.also a small man.
ReplyDeleteanyway, he had more "tips and tricks" in his dialogue than the usual teachers...I've been better at Eagle and Half Locust since then! I agree - sometimes the teachers do get on autopilot..
I am reading the Bikram book right now - to develop an inner dialogue for certain postures I'm just "not getting" from the teachers' dialogue (Half Tortoise, Balancing Leg, and even Triangle!). It's really helpful!
Sad to hear of Ren's passing. He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteVery, very sad! I heard a couple of days ago. He will be sorely missed in the bikram community
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am a regular student of Ren's Monday 4:30 class. I learned Monday and drove immediately to Forrest Lawn where I found Ren's body. I screamed in shock. How could this be? I feel cut short. Ren was not only a great yoga teacher, Ren encouraged me through Nursing School and focused me toward a spiritual part of myself that I didn't realize existed. 6 years ago I started Ren's class a broken soul. I couldn't stay sober, I couldn't be quiet, I wanted to open the door, I had no life, unaccountable, lacked self respect and no profession. Ren told me to come to class everyday and to be at his class every week and between classes to quiet my mind through breathing. Ren would yell get away from the door, and "stay still"! "I haven't got all day...pull!!pull!!!Ren would say out aloud to us. You are safe here. Allow your body to feel your feelings, you are safe here! I'll have a great life today! A great career and I am still and have peace in my life!
ReplyDeleteWith Good~ Such a sad loss! It is good to hear how many lives he has touched. Congratulations on finding something to give you peace and keep you sober and still. Everybody has something they struggle with, but not everybody can find something that will help them....
ReplyDelete